In From the Cold
by iEvenstarEstel
Summary: An anomaly to the last glacial period fuels a mighty blizzard over London. Connor and Abby have more than just each other to look out for as the cold grips the city.
1. Chapter 1

In From The Cold  
2013 Evenstar Estel

"Now I can tell Abby that all those hours playing _Drone Strike_ were worth it!" Connor laughed, trying to make light of the rather unpleasant situation the team found themselves in. Kieron and Matt glared at him and Connor had the good sense to look a little shamed. They were standing outside in below freezing temperatures in the middle of winter instead of at home, toasty warm with their loved ones. Connor in particular was eager to get home. With a wife and newborn daughter waiting for him, the last place he wanted to be was outdoors in the middle of one of the worst winters England had ever seen. But, as always, there was an anomaly to deal with, and a complicated one at that.

Connor sniffed, trying to stave his running nose. He could barely feel his fingertips and wished his gloves weren't fingerless. On a day like this it wasn't recommended to be outdoors. It was snowing heavily, below zero and the afternoon was waning, soon to grow dark. His fingers moved swiftly and precisely over the surface of his tablet computer as he and the team observed the remote controlled device ascend towards the anomaly that was situated nearly three hundred feet in the air.

The small craft was essentially modelled after a helicopter, with the ability to navigate as such. It was an idea Connor had months ago when they'd had to borrow a Fire Truck from the local Fire Department out in Surrey in order to use the ladder to investigate an anomaly that had opened on a cliffside along an disused road. Connor had needed to rig a locking device to the ladder for it to have any effect on the anomaly. Fortunately their system for predicting anomalies was practically faultless and they'd been in there when it had opened. The case was the same for the present one, however its actual location was off by three hundred vertical feet. Fortunately, Connor's model was finished and though it hadn't been tested yet, he was confident it would do the trick. There wasn't however the possibility of using the locking device, there being no conceivable way to support it suspended in the air indefinitely. He'd agreed to work on extending the locking device's range, but for the time being it was vital to determine where in history the portal led to. The last thing they wanted was a Triceretops to come through and plunge three hundred vertical feet to the concrete below!

The Dating Calculator was another of his genius creations that always came in handy. It could analyze a myriad of data from the other side of an anomaly and determine within decades where it led to and even more precisely if it was during the Common Era.

In addition to the snow coming down, huge gusts of freezing wind howled between the buildings. When another whip of the wind blasted against them, Matt could take it no longer. "Okay, you've got one minute and I'm going to wait in the bloody car!" he snarled. Apparently the normally good natured man with his soft Irish lilt had his breaking point. Connor was surprised, considering Matt had grown up in a parched, arid world where the temperatures climbed to the sort of levels found only when you got close to Mercury. Connor would've thought he'd have been fascinated by the snow.

"And I'll be with him!" Kieron echoed, stuffing his hands inside his coat pocket and stomping his feet to get circulation flowing through them.

"Just... hold on, would you?" Connor snapped. "This isn't exactly easy! We've got the makings of a blizzard here! Now if you'd got me a real helicopter."

"I'll get right on that," Matt deadpanned.

"Becker would like it," Connor shrugged. He concentrated on the task at hand, navigating the device higher and higher, trying to keep it steady against the wind. Snowflakes melted on the surface of his tablet and made it a bit difficult, but he persevered and luckily his machine held up as it approached the anomaly. He kept it hovering steady as it neared the anomaly. It was certainly larger than any they'd seen in years. Cast against the swirling snow it was also the most spectacular they'd ever encountered. Part of Connor wished Abby was there to see it too. "Readings are starting to come in," said Connor, his eyes moving rapidly as the information was displayed on his screen. "Dating Calculator says the anomaly leads to sometime in the last glacial period, about thirteen thousand years ago, and somewhere in Scandinavia. Bloody hell, if you think it's cold here! It's minus eighty-two degrees Celsius! There won't be anything coming through, not even a mammoth. I'll send it in, get us some pictures."

Only four images were transferred to Connor's tablet before the extreme temperatures froze and immobilized his machine, sending it crashing to the icy earth below. Connor frowned and sighed, sad his device was lost, but also rather upset with himself for not realizing beforehand that it would occur. Fortunately in addition to a few pictures, the timing mechanism courtesy of Evan Cross and the Vancouver arm of the ARC, had been able to determine how long before the anomaly closed.

"Looks like it'll be open for another eighteen hours!" Connor spoke, rather loudly, trying to project his voice over the howling wind. "There's not much we can do. Becker's men can monitor the anomaly, but the pictures basically show a barren glacier." He walked over to Matt and Kieron, showing them the images that had been sent back to the tablet. There was nothing but infinite white all the way to the horizon. It was night and the stars were out and the moon was high. "Kinda beautiful, though."

"Yeah, in pictures," said Kieron. "Wouldn't fancy spending a holiday there."

"Well, you'd freeze to death almost instantaneously," Connor began, but his voice trailed off at Matt's hard glare. Kieron had been with them about a year, but he was still fairly green. The incident with what had happened at the anomaly junction shortly after Kieron had joined the team and the timelines changing was a constant reminder to Connor that he needed to be a mentor for the newest members of the ARC. Kieron was still fascinated by the creatures and the phenomenon of the anomalies, but he was gaining experience. What he still lacked and what Connor and Matt both had in spades was wisdom. Matt however favoured letting them learn from experience. Despite the world he'd come from, Matt seemed to still possess a great deal of optimism. Connor thought it was in part due to the fact that no anomalies to the future had opened since New Dawn, possibly signalling that lay ahead was now unwritten. Connor supposed he himself still carried much of the burden of what had occurred during his time trapped in the Cretaceous with Abby, along with what had transpired with Philip Burton. Besides Lester, he and Abby were the only ones that had been there since the beginning.

He had to look forwards now, to the life he was building with Abby and their daughter. He had Evan Cross and Toby Nance working with him on new and brilliant tech as well as theories. He'd never felt more positive about the anomalies. The present one however wasn't filling him with confidence. He knew the dramatically low temperature on the other side of the anomaly was fueling the snowstorm they were in the middle of now, and it seemed to be getting stronger. It wouldn't do to leave Becker's men out in this. They'd have to set up some sort of shelter, or remain in their SUVs. Perhaps they could hold up in one of the shops. Either way, they couldn't stay out in the elements, and neither could he. He asked Becker's men that he be sent regular texts or emails updating him on the anomaly's status before he and Kieron climbed into Matt's SUV and they made their way home for the night.

There was nothing more Connor wanted than a hot meal and to snuggle his girls before turning in for an early night.

!*!*!

"There we go, not so bad hey, Sarah?" Abby cooed as she lowered her daughter into the warm bath water, laying the little girl on her thighs with her head and its great tufts of dark hair on her knees. The baby stared up at Abby, arms and legs flailing, but her eyes focused on her mother's. Abby had already had her wash and had let half the water out of the tub before bringing her daughter in with her. As the new mother poured handfuls of water over the baby's chest and tummy, Sarah cooed and burbled. Abby had been keeping a close monitoring of her daughter's milestones, pleased to notice that she responded strongly to her and Connor's voice and touch. Their darling loved to be held and would often cry if left to herself for too long. As soon as one of them picked her up, she quieted and was content.

Abby soothed the soft downy hairs on the baby's crown, delighted that her hair was dark like Connor's while her blue eyes seemed likely to remain that colour rather than darkening to brown. As soulful and captivating Connor's eyes were, she was happy to see a bit of herself in her daughter because little Sarah was every bit a Temple. Connor was adamant their daughter had her nose though. Not matter who she looked like, Abby had never seen a more beautiful being in all her life.

Being a mother wasn't easy. Abby had never been more tired, or more unsure of herself. Connor did try to be at home as much as possible, but often Abby spent hours alone with Sarah and it was stressful. She hadn't any example to follow, her memories of her own mother too horrid to allow herself to recall them. But even in the thick of changing nappies, feedings, trying to keep up with the laundry and keep her house, Abby would find herself staring at the baby and feel such an overwhelming love, she knew she could endure the trials because being Sarah's mother was also the best thing that had ever happened to her. Looking into her daughter's eyes, Abby felt all woes from her own childhood evaporate. She'd make it all right with Sarah. Her daughter would have nothing but love and tenderness and two parents who would do anything to keep her safe and happy. In between all her moments of deep thought, Abby also found time for laughing and playing. She sang to Sarah often and was filled with joy when she responded with her own sounds.

Abby pressed her thumbs into Sarah's palms and the baby closed her little fists around them. She leaned forwards and dotted kisses over the baby's belly and face, loving the happy sounds the little girl made. As the bath water began to cool, Abby drained the tub, secured Sarah in a towel and lay her back in her carrier before getting out herself. She pulled on her robe after drying herself off and running her brush through her wet hair. Abby took the baby to the nursery to dress her for bed before relaxing in the rocking chair and nursing her until the little girl's tummy was full and she'd drifted off to sleep. Abby carried her to hers and Connor's bedroom and lay her in the cot next to Abby's side of the bed.

Abby yawned and felt the pull of sleep herself. Sarah would be down for a good four hours, as was usual after her early evening feed. Just then Abby heard sounds in the flat and quickly lay the blanket Connor's mother had made over the sleeping child before going to investigate. A smile instantly appeared on her face when she saw her husband had returned home and was locking up their front door. He shook the snow from his hair and shucked off his heavy coat, shivering from being out in the cold for so long. Even the ride in Matt's SUV hadn't warmed him up.

He turned and saw his wife, mirroring her smile. "It's coming down in droves out there and wow... wow," Connor spoke, his voice trailing off when he realized that his beautiful wife wore only a robe, one that showed off every curve and contour of her body. If there was one thing Connor Temple could be relied upon for, it was making his wife feel like she was the most desirable woman in the entire world. Abby's smile deepened as she approached him, wanting to give her husband a proper welcome home. He grabbed her by the hips and kissed her soundly, making Abby squeal as she came in contact with his cold body.

She pushed him away. "My god, Connor, you're freezing!" she exclaimed. "Is that frost on your whiskers?"

"Haven't you looked outside, love? It's practically a blizzard out there, and if you like, I can think of a few ways you can help me warm up." His hand went to undo the sash of her robe, but Abby batted it away.

"Not for a another two to three weeks, the doctor said," Abby admonished. Connor gave her that seductive look, the look that got her pregnant in the first place. For someone so affable, Connor Temple could truly smolder when he wanted to. "I'm counting the days. You know I'm going to ravish you the moment you say I can." He pulled one fold of her robe aside to reveal a naked breast.

"Don't you dare, your hands are like ice."

"Abby..." he whined and Abby leaned in to kiss the tip of his nose.

"Go have a hot shower and warm up. What would you like for dinner?" She straightened her robe and laughed at the adorable pout his lips formed.

"Something hot! How's about a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of that nice French Canadian Pea Soup that Evan sent us?"

"You're addicted."

"It's delicious."

"And the tins are only available in Canada. You realize he spends a fortune on shipping."

"He can afford it. How was your day?"

"Uneventful and a little dull, but good. I had an excellent work out, and a nap in the afternoon when Sarah went down."

"I envy you. I miss you two so much when I'm away."

"We miss you too. Go on, have your shower, I'll get dinner."

"Ta, love." He leaned in and kissed her cheek. She playfully shoved him away, the frost on his whiskers now melted to droplets of cold water. He gave her bum a swat as he walked past her and made his way to the bathroom. Under the hot spray of the shower, Connor's entire body tingled as warmth came back to his bones. He'd never been especially fond of winter, or the snow. Playing in it as a kid was fine and dandy, but being exposed to the elements with no real reprieve for weeks to months on end was intolerable. Still, he and Abby had survived. Their winter in the Cretaceous would never be forgotten. It was oftentimes physically harsh and emotionally draining. Their shelter was barely adequate, even when Connor packed the snow against its framework of woven branches and vines. It kept out the worst of the wind, but all day and night it was still bitterly cold. They'd been smart and had prepared with food provisions and wood to keep their fire burning constantly. The days had been short and the nights unendingly long. Their only saving grace at that point was that they were a couple and miraculously, love truly did keep them alive. Neither would dream of abandoning the other by giving up the fight to survive. They'd done it together, as they did all things in life.

Connor dried himself off after his wash and secured a towel around his waist before exiting the bathroom and making his way to the bedroom to find clothes. He smiled to himself as he watched Abby cooking dinner at the stove. He knew she missed the ARC and caring for the creatures, but he'd seen a change come over her since Sarah had arrived and he was pretty sure his wife was enjoying her time off and concentrating on caring for their daughter. He knew she was tired, as well as stressed, but it was clear to any who saw mother and daughter together that Abby's love for Sarah was pure and complete. He'd been home with them as much as possible and as he dressed and his eyes travelled over to the cot on the other side of the bed, he made his girls a silent promise to back down from his duties to the ARC and work from home as much as possible.

He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, hanging the towel on the door knob before making his way to the cot as silently as possible. The room was dark save for the lamp on Abby's dresser illuminating a corner and leaving just enough light for Connor to peer into the cot and behold his sleeping daughter. Every time he looked at their little Sarah he felt tears well up and a warmth in his chest. She was precious, beautiful and so perfect he could hardly believe he and Abby were blessed to have her. He fought the urge to pick her up and cuddle her and was content to watch the gentle rise and fall of her chest and how her tiny fingers curled and unfurled in her sleep. He saw so much of Abby in her, save for her dark hair. He was eager to find out of she'd have the dimple in her left cheek that he had in his when he smiled, which since Sarah was born was pretty much constantly.

He departed as quietly as he came and joined Abby at the dinner table just as she was setting down their food. Much like when he'd been a boy, his favourite comfort food on a cold day was a grilled cheddar sandwich and a bowl of soup. He was about to take his seat next to her when he quickly dashed back to the front hall to retrieve his tablet computer from where he'd left it.

"Would you like to see what Northern Scandinavia looked like thirteen thousand years ago?" he asked, setting the tablet between them and retrieving the pictures before tucking in to his supper.

"Wow, look at those stars," Abby gasped. "Almost reminds you of the skies in the Cretaceous, doesn't it? Our moon was far more brilliant though. Looks cold."

"Minus eighty-two degrees Celsius! Impossible for life. And yeah, our moon..." Connor stopped talking the moment they were plunged into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Great, just great," Connor groaned.

"Oh, it's not so bad," Abby cajoled, rising and making her way to the kitchen, guided only by her familiarity with their flat and the light the tablet gave off from the table. Connor heard her rummaging around and then the striking of a match. Moments later, Abby returned with two lit candles in the silver candle holders the Lesters had given them as a wedding present. She set them on the table and took her seat again. "There, now it's romantic."

"What about Sarah?"

"She's been bathed and fed, she'll sleep for at least another hour or two, maybe more. She's been sleeping for longer this week."

"I'm missing too much."

"We're no different than any other working couple in London. Sarah knows you, Connor, she lights up when you hold her and talk to her."

"I'm going to take a few weeks off, no months, months! I'll work from home, let you have a break when you need it. You've been doing an amazing job, but you shouldn't have to do it all alone."

"I won't pretend it wouldn't be nice."

"Settled then." He reached over and took her hand in his. "I'll tell Lester first thing tomorrow. I'm officially working from home! Our family's the most important thing to me, time I started acting like it."

"Don't be hard on yourself, you've done your best. Anyone can see how much you love Sarah."

"It's not just about her though, you shouldn't have to do it all. I want to help. I want to be here. You'll be sick of me in no time!"

"Never." Abby leaned in and kissed him sweetly, her lips lingering on his for quite some time before she pulled away. "I love you."

"Love you too, sweetheart." They shared a smile and finished their meal in companionable silence. After, Connor placed their bowls and plates in the dishwasher while Abby checked on the baby. They then made their way to the living room to snuggle together on the couch in front of the fire. They were both very glad indeed that their home was heated with gas, letting them stay warm as the world outside was blanketed with more snow.

Connor reclined and put his feet up and Abby molded herself to his side. Both were looking forward to when Abby was sufficiently recovered from giving birth so they could make love again. In the meantime they'd certainly enjoyed other ways of giving and receiving pleasure from each other. A year spent in the Cretaceous only being able to be together completely on occasion had enabled them to become rather creative. For tonight however both were content to be held.

They watched the blue flames dance behind the glass of the fireplace. It would be an early night and when Sarah woke for her next feed or nappy change, Connor was going to take the opportunity to cuddle his little girl for as long as possible. His heart felt quite full of love and happiness. However, when the flames suddenly went out, Connor and Abby shared a look of deep concern. Abby went to the kitchen to test the stove, finding it was without gas as well. Connor investigated the fireplace and found that even the pilot light had gone out. There was no gas coming into the house and that meant that no heat was either.

The first thing Connor did was grab a torch and rush down to the basement to turn off the main line to the flat. He didn't want to risk any sort of leak or worse, an explosion. The first thing Abby did was rush to the bedroom to put extra blankets over Sarah as well as a cap for her head. Secondly, she dressed herself in her warmest pyjamas along with one of Connor's hoodies and then pulled on a pair of woollen socks. The pair met up in the kitchen, both worried and uncertain of how to proceed.

The charge on Connor's phone was down, but fortunately Abby's was still at full power. She turned hers off to preserve the battery life while they used up what was left of Connor's first. The network was down, and his heart sunk, it was useless. Fortunately their landline was serviceable and he put in a call to the ARC. He cursed when it went to the main voicemail menu. Lastly, he went to his tablet and breathed a sigh of relief when he was able to connect to the ARC's systems through an intranet. He found out that everything was running on auxiliary power. Fortunately for the creatures in the menagerie, it had been outfitted with panels that would give off heat for at least twenty-fours hours, the precaution in place for emergencies just such as this one.

His frustration grew as he found that the systems were down to their bare minimum and most of what he wanted to access, mainly a signal to piggyback on to the outside world, were unavailable. The internet was pointless without electricity to power it. His jaw tensed and he just about threw his tablet across the room before Abby lay a gentle hand to his shoulder. He hadn't noticed her departure or what she'd sought until she placed one of his favourite keepsakes from his childhood on the table. She'd found his old transistor radio. It was about as low tech as it got nowadays. She disappeared again, back into the kitchen, and returned with a pack of batteries. She was a smart one, his wife. She obviously appreciated the look he gave her as there was no mistaking her blushing, even in the dark.

It took a while to find a station that came through clear enough to actually understand the broadcaster. Most of London was in a blackout. Meteorologists had no inkling such an enormous or powerful blizzard would hit the city and several feet of snow would likely come down over night. The temperature had already sunk to minus twenty degrees Celsius and might drop further overnight. It was the storm of the century. People were urged not to leave their homes, attempting to travel would almost certainly result in death. The military were unable to assist at the present time.

With each subsequent damning message that came over the radio, Connor and Abby grew increasingly worried. They finally learned why there was no gas coming to the house. There'd been a stoppage in the line when a water main had partially frozen, then burst and poured into an underground gas main. It would be days before anything could be done. The parents continued to listen until finally Connor couldn't stand to hear another word. Abby turned off the radio as Connor began to frantically pace before her.

"Don't they realize that people have children? Sarah's too little, she can't survive like we did in the Cretaceous! Look!" he strode over to the window, and with a shaking hand ran his finger over the glass. "That's ice, Abby! We'll freeze! Sarah..."

"Connor, strop," Abby spoke, her voice firm but compassionate. "Sarah will be fine, we all will."

"How, Abby? It's the anomaly that's feeding this storm! It's not going to close for another sixteen hours! If the weather on the other side changes, if an ice storm of some sort comes through, we'll not make it!"

"You're working yourself up and it's not going to help anything, so stop it. " Further words were silenced when the sounds of the baby's cries erupted from by way of their bedroom. Abby grabbed one of the candle sticks and left her husband, hoping he'd take the time while she changed the baby's nappy to calm himself down. She'd often been the voice of reason in the Cretaceous in their early days stranded in the past. In the beginning he'd beat himself up over it being his fault they were trapped. Abby had been the practical one and got him to focus on the three essentials of food, water and shelter. As time wore on however they'd becomes partners in every sense. If anything had changed since that time it was that their bond was even stronger than it had been then and together they'd endure and survive. With Sarah to depend on them, they couldn't afford to react as Connor was.

However, despite her practical side, when it came to her baby, Abby was just as concerned as her husband. As she tended to Sarah as quickly as possible, Abby nearly dissolved into tears . She could see her breath before her face as she breathed and knew the baby's squalls were from being cold. As soon as the baby had a fresh nappy and was dressed again in her onesie, Abby swaddled her in layers of blankets and carried her back to the kitchen. She set the candlestick back on the table and called Connor away from staring out the window and obsessing over their predicament.

"Come hold your daughter," Abby spoke, her tone clearly telling him he had no choice in the matter. Still obviously worried, Connor accepted their child as Abby lay her in her father's arms. The baby still snivelled and wept and Abby was relieved when Connor's instincts to calm the baby kicked in and he reacted accordingly.

"Hush, sweetheart, don't cry..." Connor soothed, rocking her gently and and kissing away her tears. "Daddy's here. I won't let anything bad happen to you, promise."

Abby breathed a sigh of relief. Now that Connor was concentrating on what was important, she got to work. She left her two beloved darlings to each other and made her way through the flat, guided by the flashlight app on Connor's phone. His battery was almost dead, but it gave enough light for her to safely raid the storage cupboard next to the bathroom. It was actually rather large, though not big enough to be used as a bedroom. They hadn't accumulated too much in their time since leaving Jess' flat and purchasing their own a few weeks before their wedding, but when they'd had the naff idea to go camping for their honeymoon to recreate some of their more memorable moments in the Cretaceous, Connor had insisted they go all out. He'd bought them a set of the best all weather, thermal sleeping bags and they were perfect for what she had in mind.

Abby dragged them out of the corner they were stuffed into and crossed the hallway into their bedroom. She made quick work of zipping them together to make one extra-large sleeping bag the whole family could fit into. She stripped the duvet off the bed, then put it back over the sleeping bags once she'd laid them to the bed. She found all the extra blankets they had, plus her warmest cardigan to wear over what she already had on and Connor's lined hoody for him. Next she went to the bathroom and gathered each of the pillar candles she used when she wanted to relax in the tub. She cleared her dresser and placed the candles upon it.

When she returned to Connor, she found him with Sarah's face tucked against his neck to keep warm and the baby whimpering, but past her crying fit. Connor however was a different matter. Even though her hands were cold, she wiped the tears from his cheeks. "How is she?" Abby asked.

"Her nose is cold," he replied, his lips twisting with worry. Connor was incredible smart and brave, but when it came to his little girl, he could hold nothing back. He loved her with the whole of his soul and the very thought that anything would harm her tore him to shreds.

"Come with me, let's all get warmed up," she bade, taking up the candlesticks from the table and leading him to the bedroom. She closed the door behind him and after setting the candles sticks on the dresser, stuffed a towel under the bottom to block the cold air from entering. She'd already lit the candles, as well pulled down the blinds and closed the curtains of their window after having tacked up the rest of their towels against the frames over the glass.

"You're as smart as you are beautiful," Connor spoke, gifting her with a praising smile. Abby pulled on her cardigan and climbed into bed and into the sleeping bag. Connor passed Sarah to her and climbed in beside them after pulling on his hoody. Abby loosened the blankets around the baby and checked her over. She wasn't as warm as Abby would've liked. Her own nose was cold and so were her fingers. The baby rubbed her eyes and her mouth pursed before she began to whinge and whimper. Abby instinctively knew what she needed.

"I think she'll be warmer against me. She's fussing because she's not had a feed for almost four hours," Abby explained as she unbuttoned her pyjama top. "Do you remember those cold nights in the Cretaceous? Skin against skin is the best way to transfer heat. Take off your shirts, Conn." Connor did as she asked, watching as Abby secured the baby to her breast, laying on her side with Sarah pressed against her torso, the two of them barely peeking out from inside the sleeping bags and under the duvet. Sarah curled up as tight as she'd been in the womb and suckled eagerly. Connor pulled his hoody back on and sunk deep into the sleeping bag. He snuggled against his girls, laying his forehead to Abby's and wrapping his arm around her waist with Sarah nestled between them. He'd only been a father for one month, ten if he counted since Sarah's conception, but he knew that she was the only thing that truly mattered to him and Abby.

As the minutes passed, they both felt themselves warming up. Connor began stroking Sarah's cheek, noting how she was now completely warm to the touch, full of mother's milk to help her along.

"Just like our nights in the Cretaceous, yeah?" Abby spoke, her eyes weary but still bright and full of love. A faint smile came to his face as he continued to stroke and cajole their daughter, occasionally kissing the top of her head. She seemed content, suckling from Abby, unaware of the danger that lay outside the cocoon of her parents' embrace.

"Almost," he replied, barely above a whisper. "At least there's no Spinosaurus knocking at our door. I think we'll be okay."

"When the sun rises and the anomaly closes, it'll get better. Not a bad way to spend the night though, is it?"

Connor kissed her then, full and deep and she returned it with equal fervour. When Sarah had finished her feed, Abby reclined on her back with the baby on her chest. Connor lay Sarah's blankets over them and another around Abby's head to keep her warm. Secure inside the sleeping bags, under their duvet and in their lush, comfortable bed, Connor kept watch over his family as they fell asleep, warm and protected.

He listened to the howling winds, knowing that come morning there'd be several feet of snow on the ground. Huddled together for warmth plus the heat the candles gave off had made it possible to survive the night, but they were cut off from everyone and everything. He tried not to think about the other mums and dads trying to keep their little ones warm. What would have been a bad winter storm that would've only kept them from getting around London easily had grown exponentially and would continue to do so until the anomaly closed. He trembled at the thought of what this storm would leave in its wake. Knowing that once the power and the gas was back and the news started broadcasting, there'd be stories of how other little babies weren't as lucky as his and Abby's. He couldn't shake the morbid thoughts from his head.

When he heard the soft coo of Sarah waking, Connor pulled back the covers and met her big blue eyes as they opened. Abby sighed in her sleep and unconsciously her hand laid itself upon the baby's back to keep her secure. He offered the tip of his little finger and Sarah suckled upon it as her own fingers pressed into Abby's skin. Connor leaned in and kissed the tip of the baby's nose, pleased it was warm to the touch. He snuggled his cheek against Abby's, finding her warm too. His family were alive and safe in his arms and while his heart ached for those less fortunate than he, there was nothing he could do but be grateful for the two people he loved most.

The night ahead would be long, but he'd remain awake for as long as he could before having Abby take the watch. He noticed Sarah had stopped suckling on the end of his finger and fallen back asleep. He pulled the covers around them a little more securely. His hand joined Abby's on the baby's body, protecting her and keeping her warm. As the night waned his mind began to awaken, thinking about potential ways to extend the range of the locking device; creating more sophisticated and durable probes to explore anomalies; and how he and Evan could create a more succinct hand held device, perhaps one that could amalgamate the detector, the dating calculator and Toby Nance's timing tech.

He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until he felt something warm and wet on his neck. "Hey? What's happening?" he mumbled as he opened his eyes, finding Abby wiping his skin with a washcloth. He then realized that he was laid on his back with Sarah snug up against him on his chest, drooling.

"She needed a nappy change and I needed the loo," Abby spoke softly. "Whilst I was gone, I thought it best to put her there to keep warm," Abby explained as she settled back down under the covers. She kissed him and cuddled close, insinuating her leg between his and laying her cheek to his shoulder. Connor's hand came up and he stroked the baby's cheek with his thumbs, rewarded with a soft coo and a nuzzle from his daughter. The candles were getting low and he thought maybe it was still night time. The room was actually pleasantly warm, all things considered.

"Wouldn't mind using the loo myself. What time is it?" he whispered in reply.

"Half four in the morning. The sun'll be up in a few hours, things'll get better then. It's just above freezing in the flat, but it's damn cold. It's still minus twenty outside."

"As soon as the anomaly closes, the temperature will rise quickly. I'm sure of it. Are there more candles?"

Abby nodded her head. "In the cupboard under the cutlery drawer." She kissed him again and gently gathered up Sarah. Even just getting out of the sleeping bag had him shivering. He turned back to look at Abby and their daughter for a moment, making sure they were both covered before he opened the door. He was out in a flash and dashing to the bathroom. He made quick work of it and then headed to the kitchen. He rummaged around in the dark and was instantly elated when he found the candles. He went to the table and found their mobile phones and his tablet, determined to use whatever battery life there was left to try and contact the other members of the ARC.

He entered the bedroom as fast as he could, stuffing the towel along the base. Coming from the flat into the bedroom made him realize just how well they'd done by their daughter. It was significantly warmer. He stopped dead in his tracks when he turned and beheld the scene before him. Abby was sitting up in bed nursing Sarah. The smile on Abby's face as she looked down upon her baby did something to him. He felt his heart skip a beat and a lump form in his throat. Somehow just in that moment he'd never been happier or more in love with his wife. He let the moment pass, eager to join them. First, he changed out the two tapered candles in the candlesticks that had nearly melted down to nubs.

He crawled back into the sleeping bag, grateful to feel its warmth surrounding him again. He wrapped his arms around his wife, pulled the duvet around them and held his girls and stayed that way until dawn.

!*!*!

It wasn't until well after sunrise that Connor managed to send and receive a text from Matt or Becker. As it turned out, most of the team had spent the night in the ARC down in the menagerie with the animals, it being the warmest place to be found. Abby and Connor were still in bed, eating a packet of chocolate covered Hobnobs for their breakfast with Sarah laying between them, oblivious and content, her tiny fist closed around her Daddy's finger. His mobile and his tablet had run out of battery life, so he was using Abby's in an effort to find out what was happening in the world outside. Now that day had broken, people were venturing outdoors, though most turned around and went back inside. The cold kept many from the pursuit of harassing others or attempting to take from them in order to ensure their own survival. People were being forced to work together if they wanted to survive.

It was every bit as bad as Connor had feared. The death toll from hypothermia was significant. Anyone living rough who didn't find proper shelter were dead, or in dire need of medical attention. The radio sat on the bedside table next to Connor, detailing the messages coming from Downing Street and that finally the military was being brought in to help. The first order of business would be to repair any broken gas and water mains and to restore power to the city. Most had done without electricity save for a few lucky small pockets. There was little he and Abby could do for the time being other than what they'd done all night. They weren't about to shrug off the the blankets or take the coverings down from the windows just because it was day.

Connor finished his last biscuit and turned off the radio. He sent a text to Becker asking him to be informed when the anomaly closed, which would mercifully be in a few hours. He set the phone aside and turned to his daughter, laying down beside her and nudging her cheek with his nose. Soon Abby joined them and the two parents looked to each other, love shining in both their eyes. Abby leaned in and kissed the baby's plump cheek before coming even closer and sweetly kissing Connor's lips. They snuggled down, their hands finding each others as they pressed their cheeks against Sarah's. The baby burbled and cooed, delighted with receiving such loving attention from her parents.

Connor smiled. Right now, he didn't need his world to be any bigger than the four walls that surrounded him and his family.

The End


End file.
